Flash Friday–For the Love of Dentist

So I’m cheating just a bit and jumping off my own assigned Flash topic, found here.  You see, my dentist sent me a bill asking me to pay $400 for a crown I don’t have yet.  I’m supposed to have it–they did the crown prep two+ months ago, but I’ve been busy and putting off yet another dental trip, so I hadn’t gone back for the permanent crown.  Hat tip to the dentist, thought, ’cause if I’m going to pay for it anyway I’ll trot my bod in there and get the stupid thing stuck in my mouth.

Guess how many crowns this is for me?

big 9

That’s right–this makes nine.  I have my own royal baseball team!  I feel so lucky.  I’ll bet you’re jealous, and wish you had a baseball team you could name The Royal Crushers, too!

In honor of this happy occasion and my deep joy in going to the dentist, I wrote my flash piece with nothing but love.

 

My Dental Adoration

I sat down in the long chair and relaxed against the head rest.  The hygienist swung the light over, and without being asked I opened my mouth so she could take a look at my teeth.  I knew exactly what she’d find—27 perfect white pearls, champions amongst teeth, and one cracked loser.  Maybe I’d always chewed my candy on that tooth, or tucked my cough drops next to it.  But probably not.  More likely it was born weaker than the rest, with soft enamel that couldn’t withstand an invasion of bacteria and plaque.  As soon as I realized what I had–a pitted cavity of decay–I rushed in here and demanded they get to work.  Soon they would fix it, though.  I would feel the tiny prick of the needle, then pressure and the soothing sensation of numbness.  Then the dentist would start up his drill and get to work.  I couldn’t wait.

Feels you with warm fuzzies, doesn’t it?  Stop by the Flash Friday main page for our other participants in this week’s blog hop, and remember to blow a kiss to your dentist today!

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14 Comments

  1. Reply

    I used to really hate going to the dentist. But I worked for one, Michael Song, for a couple of years. I got to know him as a person, as well as a dentist, and assisted on procedures all the time. Now, I still see him as my dentist, but all my anxiety and fear are gone, I generally know what’s coming next and I got over my issue with the sounds of the drill long ago. Honestly, I’ve had like 3 root canals, 4 crowns, untold cleanings and a few fillings, I don’t even blink anymore. I love my dentist!

  2. Reply

    Good for you! I think I’ve mostly gotten over the fear, but I’ll never look forward to it. I get all my work done without novicane and while I do handle pain pretty well, I’m not going to pretend I enjoy it! The irony is that I didn’t have my first cavity til I was seventeen, so as a kid I thought the dentist was awesome! lol

  3. Reply

    Oh, my dear lady, I feel for you! I have five and probably another four to go from a bad dentist visit fifteen years ago. But I have an awesome dentist now. Nothing chills yet warms you like the love of a drill. Great craft!

  4. Reply

    Well, I haven’t done a root canal since I quit using it–I think they’d have to knock me out for that. But for the crowns I mostly clench my teeth and cry. lol
    No, really it’s just a matter of keeping my focus on getting through it rather than on what’s happening now. Not so bad!

  5. Reply

    Thanks Erica, glad you enjoyed it–and I appreciate the sympathy! Will toodle over for the Flash Friday page and see if we get a treat from you. 🙂

  6. Reply

    I think you’ve told me before, but why oh why do you go through that rather than get the shot? I absolutely couldn’t do it. I have a high threshold for pain for a lot of things, headaches, cramps and toothaches…not so much, my threshold is very low there.

  7. Reply

    I understand! And really, it’s mostly because the numbing doesn’t work on my teeth. It’ll numb my nose, eye, throat, etc. but despite shot after shot (I think the most I’ve had was something like eight) I still invariably feel them working on the tooth by halfway through. I’ve found that by forgoing the numbing entirely they’re aware that I feel it and go a little gentler, plus I don’t have to walk around with only half a working face. Win-win! lol

  8. Reply

    I have problems numbing when he does root canals. He finally had to start injecting straight into the root of the tooth, drill till it hurts again, shoot some more in there, drill again, etc. Injecting straight into the root is EXCRUCIATING!

  9. Ginger Churchill

    Reply

    Oh no! I missed it. It was NOT my best week…but at least I didn’t have to fave a guy in white coming at me with with sharp things.

  10. Reply

    You could always jump in! But, I know how those kind of weeks can go. 🙂 And, I believe what I feel for my dentist is called fan girl. Or groupie. One of those.

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